Training Log Archive: blairtrewin

The main part of the day was, of course, the event I was setting at Rowdy Flat. I didn't end up having to do much in the field today - just checking a few controls earlier in the morning (had I been in a fit state to do so I would have tried to run around as many as I could between sunrise and first start). The event seemed to go pretty well - plenty of compliments despite the many mistakes people made. The only negative I'm aware of was that the contrast between the purple (courses) and brown on the map wasn't strong enough, which meant that the control numbers weren't visible enough (especially as large parts of this map have no white space to shift numbers into), and some people aimed for a crossover control which was about halfway along the long leg, not such a bad route choice in any case.

Also did a bit of commentary and a few post-race interviews, including one with a very talkative Jared McKenna (an early finisher on course 7). No idea where he might have got those genes from.

After all was packed up, I headed to the Yackandandah pool after lunch. The shallow end had its share of local kids (and a few parents) but I had the deep end more or less to myself, and there's something nice about a country pool on a hot day. Didn't feel that lively in the session though, perhaps through doing it too close to lunch.

A ride from Yackandandah on a loop through Osborne and Allans Flat down to Baranduda then back up the main road. Didn't give this one enough respect - certainly not the respect I would have given a two-hour run in the middle of a 30-degree day - and suffered a bit in the later stages for it, not least because there was a pretty solid climb from about 8 to 3km out of Yackandandah. Still, it will do me good to push my boundaries a bit.

The knee has improved significantly in the last couple of days - amazing what throwing some drugs at it will do. I'd backed out of doing as much on the 5-days control placement as originally planned because I was worried about being able to handle the erosion gullies, but it worked out fine (once we finally got some stands - the ones we were supposed to be using went back to Melbourne after day 2 by mistake, so we've improvised by using the day 5 stands and taping over the numbers).

From the city down Beach Road as far as Sandringham after a physio session and before heading up to the Northeast. Having to work reasonably hard into the wind through the first half but (as you'd expect) much easier after turning around. Not a lot of people around by usual Beach Road standards (and certainly not as much bling as you'd usually see on a weekend morning).

The physio news was better than I expected; he thinks it essentially comes down to imbalances caused by muscle weaknesses in the glutes (which would also explain the hamstring soreness which troubled me on long road trips in the later part of the year) and thinks the knee soreness should clear once that's sorted out. He's even cautiously optimistic that I might make the starting line in NZ. We'll see.

Event: 2012 Christmas 5 Days
 

The main anticipation today was getting the results from the MRI back. The good news, I think, is that there's nothing really structurally wrong (and definitely nothing that's going to need surgery); it looks to be inflammation in various places which are particularly slow to heal (perhaps a more severe version of my issues from late 2010, although the numbness which was an occasional feature of that has never appeared this time?). I think this is good news as surgery would have meant little chance of being back before March and probably the first half of the season pretty much gone from a competitive point of view, but it does mean my prospects are somewhat open-ended. Doesn't look great for my chances of fronting up at the start line in New Zealand next week, though.

The day's exercise (apart from various short bits of bicycle commuting) was at the end of the day, a swim at Fitzroy. Unexpectedly, I was full of energy once in the water, and also remembered better than I usually do that I have two arms and might move faster in the water if I at least attempted to put both of them seriously to use. The end result of this was my fastest swim for a long time. Felt tired (especially in the aforementioned underutilised left arm) in the second half, but didn't slow down.

The reason I had lots of energy may have been because I didn't consume much of it during the day, spent at the MCG. It's remarkable how much of a difference there is between the bits of the lower level which are under cover and the bits which aren't - I was under cover and it was very relaxed, but fifteen rows in front and a bay across it was a different story. One particular character, in a black singlet with a Southern Cross on the back and 'Australian and Proud of It Since 1854' on the front (I doubt Peter Lalor would have been impressed), looked a prime going-home-in-the-back-of-a-divvy-van candidate, and was, although he did last until the second ball of the final over. At least the amount raised during the day in fines might keep a Victorian public servant somewhere in a job.

Back down at Blairgowrie for 24 hours (there's a lot of shuttling back and forth at this time of year) and headed for the backyard lap pool again - was tempted to instead head for the rock pool at the back beach - definitely no worries about the water being deep enough there, but no way of keeping track of the time. Also tried running about 50 metres to the shops - certainly not right but indicated that I might be able to get through a course if needed. Will find out more tomorrow when I get the MRI results back.

If things had been going to plan I'd be heading for the 5-days tomorrow morning, but as things haven't gone to plan I'll be heading to the MCG instead. Will still come up (obviously) for the days I'm involved in organising.

A possibly unwanted consequence of social media is being able to hear about families in five different cities, in four countries on three continents, spending their Christmas collectively throwing up.

C • rock pool 1

No Christmas long run this year but there was a long(ish) ride, admittedly only about 20% of what Sebba would consider a reasonable day's work but still the longest thing I've done in two months. Headed out north from my place through Greensborough as far north as Doreen, then back along Plenty Road; unsurprisingly suburbia has spread another couple of kilometres north since I was last out this way, and there were a couple of roads which I wouldn't have fancied being on at a time much busier than 8 on Christmas morning. Quite hilly in the first half, and a bit of a headwind in the second. Reasonably smooth for the most part and didn't really tire; nice to do something long.

Didn't see any newly acquired bikes or cricket bats in use (probably because this was on more significant roads than I'd be on if I'd been running), but did see plenty of evidence of local commerce - every second bus shelter seemed to be hosting a flower stall. It must have been Christmas because I managed to get through two hours riding a bike in the outer northern suburbs without a single motorist telling me to "f**k off".

Riding into work the Yarra Boulevard way. Roads predictably quiet though the bike path had its share of people strolling who probably wouldn't have been there in a normal peak hour. It was a very warm morning (the warmest overnight temperature on record for December), and rather windy; the crosswind was a bit disconcerting on a few of the more exposed sections. (I didn't get a lot of sympathy regarding this from the work colleague who was coming in from Sandringham). Felt good at the start but didn't finish off quite as well as last time. Back soreness a bit of an issue.

Christmas anticipation for me has changed over the years. In 1982 I would have been eagerly awaiting what Santa had brought (actually, by 1982 I had long since ceased to believe in Santa but pretended otherwise for the benefit of younger members of the household); in 2002 I was eagerly anticipating my first run since compartment syndrome surgery seven weeks earlier (a five-minute jog around an Essendon park). In 2012 I won't even manage five minutes, and at least part of my anticipation will be directed at whether a new record will be set for the highest December temperature ever observed in France. (There are record possibilities in Switzerland and Germany, too). 27.2 is the magic number - coincidentally the same as the magic number for Melbourne this morning.

And the latest in the occasional series of epic fails amongst the criminal community: to the burglar who decided to break into a van parked on a Brisbane street a while back. It was unfortunate for him that the van was parked outside the house of Wayne Swan during a stint as acting Prime Minister, and doubly unfortunate that the van was full of federal policemen.

C • Christmas Presents 2

C • Santa 3